From Hats to Jumps: Embodied and Object Based Learning in Economics and Statistics
Introduction
This case study explains how I use objects, acting, and body language to teach complex ideas in economics and statistics. It focuses primarily on first-year undergraduate students enrolled in the Economics and Data Analytics modules at the Lincoln International Business School. Many of these students find the subjects challenging or abstract when they first arrive at university, as most have not previously studied mathematics, economics, or statistics.
By using embodied and object-based learning, I transform theoretical concepts into experiences that students can both see and remember. I aim to create an active, inclusive, and enjoyable learning environment, particularly for students from non-economics backgrounds.
Through classroom demonstrations such as wearing a hat, lifting one of my shoes, freezing to illustrate ceteris paribus, or jumping across the room to show a shift of a demand curve, I help students connect abstract theories with real-life meaning. Based on my observations and student feedback, this approach not only enhances engagement but also helps first-year students integrate the module as a whole and adapt successfully to their new academic environment. Students’ participation, body language, and reflections indicate that embodied and object-based learning has a strong positive impact on their understanding and confidence in the subject.
How I Deliver My Classes
In my teaching I combine objects, acting and body language to make abstract concepts visible and relatable. I often use simple materials such as a hat, a pair of shoes and the classroom space itself to turn theoretical models into stories that can be understood by everyone. This practice draws on embodied cognition (Macrine and Fugate, 2021), object-based learning (Wardak, 2025), and dramatic pedagogy (Brennan and Pearce, 2009), which suggest that knowledge becomes meaningful through the use of objects, acting, and physical movement.
Why I Teach This Way
Economics and statistics can often seem disconnected from real life, especially for new students with a limited background in the discipline. Many struggle to engage with equations or to see how theories apply in practice.
Ultimately, I aim for students not only to remember key terms and theories but also to understand why and how they work, to feel confident applying them, and to deepen their knowledge by linking real-life examples to the topics they study.
This approach turns theory into a living experience through drama and role play and helps students see and feel how market forces operate in real situations.
Examples
1. The Hat and Regression (Y and Ŷ)
When teaching regression, I use a hat to represent estimation. My aim is to help students understand the concept of estimators and to distinguish between true population parameters alpha and beta and their sample estimates alpha hat and beta hat, as well as between the actual values of Y and the estimated values Y hat. I apply this approach in the Year 1 module ECO1031 Data Analytics for Business.
When I stand in front of a large cohort I begin by sparking their curiosity and tell them that I am going to use a teaching material, a special hat. Then I took the hat out of the bag and wore it and say, “This is Erkan with the hat,” and then take it off and say, “This is Erkan without the hat. What is the difference?” After this short demonstration I introduce the topic of regression and explain the parameters alpha and beta from the actual population data, and alpha hat and beta hat from the sample. I tell them that the hat is used to distinguish the estimated values from the true ones.
Putting on the hat turns an abstract symbol into a visible and memorable idea. It helps students clearly distinguish between theoretical and predicted values. I have observed students smiling, responding with curiosity, and providing highly positive verbal and written feedback, showing that this approach improves student engagement.
Image: The Hat Used in the Classes to Represent Estimated Values in Regression
2. Frozen Scene: Explaining Ceteris Paribus
The aim of this drama is to help students understand what ceteris paribus means and to distinguish the determinants of quantity demanded by categorising them into two groups: one is the price of the good itself and the other is the set of other factors. This understanding is a prerequisite for learning how changes in price and other factors affect quantity demanded.
First, I physically introduce my position and body as representing the price of the good, then I slightly move to the left to illustrate the shift of focus to the other factors. At this stage, I use my entire body to symbolise these other factors, creating a clear visual representation that helps students connect theory with observation. I slightly bend my head and remain completely still, like a frozen figure, keeping my eyes fixed on one point without even blinking. This gesture makes students smile, and I continue speaking without moving my head or my body for three seconds, saying, “This position represents ceteris paribus, which means that the other factors are fixed.”
By doing this, I illustrate that there are two distinct factors. One is the price, and the other is the group of remaining factors represented by my body. This helps students visualise and understand the difference between them, as each has a different effect, such as movement along the demand curve or a shift of the demand curve.
3. Postcode Story: Explaining Movement Along the Demand Curve
When explaining the difference between a shift of the demand curve and a movement along the demand curve, I use the classroom space to make the concept more visible and engaging for students. To explain the movement and its relationship with the price of the good, I create a short story and tell students that my friend David moves whenever his postcode changes, meaning he moves home. I then illustrate this on the demand curve, showing a movement from point A to point B and naming the points accordingly. He moves from Aberdeen to Birmingham. Later, I connect this story with the theory by saying postcode changes represent price changes, and moving home itself represents movement along the curve. The cities Aberdeen represent the point A and Birmingham point B, and David itself is a demand curve.
4. Jump to Shift
After describing the movement along the demand curve, I illustrate the shift of the demand curve through a physical demonstration. Using the classroom space, I stand in one spot to represent the original demand curve, then suddenly jump to a different position in the room to show how the entire curve shifts. This quick change of position symbolises how factors such as income, preferences, or the prices of other goods can cause a shift of the entire demand curve. The sudden jump captures students’ attention, makes them smile, and helps them clearly see the difference between a movement along the same curve and a shift of the entire curve.
5. A Pair of Shoes and Sandwiches: Price of Other Goods
The aim of this drama and the use of an object is to help students distinguish between related and unrelated goods and to understand that only goods with a meaningful relationship such as substitutes or complements affect one another in terms of demand.
I began by asking about the impact of an increase in tuition fees on the quantity of sandwiches demanded and received several incorrect answers from the groups via Padlet. I immediately understood that the students had not yet grasped the importance of the relationship between goods. Therefore, I swiftly changed the topic and asked whether there was any relationship between the sandwiches in the example and one of the shoes I was wearing. I showed them one of my shoes, adjusted my body position, and looked directly at the students, waiting for their responses. The students smiled and quickly understood the question, replying that there was no relationship between the price of a pair of shoes and the quantity of sandwiches demanded.
6. Equilibrium Price and Output
To explain the concept of equilibrium output and equilibrium price, I connect the topic with real life situations that students can relate to and act out in class.
- 6.a Market Clearing Price and University Clearing Period Example: First, I introduce the condition of excess supply or surplus. I connect this with a situation during the university clearing period. I ask students to imagine that they could not secure a place at university. Then I act as a senior leadership team member, while the students play the role of applicants. I tell them that the university has now lowered the entry requirements, for example reducing the GCSE grade requirement from six to five, and that they can apply again. Through this role play, students understand that when the price or entry requirements decrease, the number of successful applicants increases, just as in a market where excess supply leads to price adjustments until equilibrium is restored as suppliers reduce their prices.
- 6.b Shortage and Securing a Room Example: Next, I explained to students how the market price adjusts to reach equilibrium when a shortage occurs, that is, when the quantity demanded is greater than the quantity supplied. I asked my students to imagine they were looking for a flat in Lincoln and that all the rooms at three hundred pounds per month had already been taken, and landlords were not willing to rent out their properties at that price. I then asked them what they could do to secure a place. After a short discussion, they realised that the only solution was to be willing to pay more, for example, three hundred and fifty pounds per month.
This example is very important because students have already experienced these challenges themselves, so they respond naturally and engage deeply. By connecting this familiar situation with the concept of shortage, they understand how prices rise until equilibrium is reached. Moreover, this approach turns theory into a living experience through drama and role play and helps students see and feel how market forces operate in real situations.
Student Comments and Reflection
Students’ written and verbal feedback directly recognise these creative methods.
- “Bring back the hat.”
- “Erkan’s magic hat. Erkan’s squatting demonstration of standard deviation and variance.”
- “Erkan also has a rather nice sense of humour which is a breath of fresh air.”
- “Erkan is a very fun lecturer and helps me engagement.”
- “5 out of 5 – Clearing example made equilibrium simple to understand in an interesting way!”
I have consistently observed positive participation, smiling, laughter, and body language that reflect satisfaction and confidence. Many students including mature learners and those with special educational needs have given spontaneous feedback in class such as “this makes sense now” and “I wish all statistics were taught like this.” Their written reflections also mention that my enthusiasm and humour make the subject enjoyable and easier to understand. These comments show that effective learning can occur in an environment where students are actively engaged and enjoying themselves through acting, role-play, body movement, and the use of objects, accompanied by a flavour of humour.
Receiving such positive comments has motivated me to continue developing this embodied and object-based approach. It has helped first-year students connect the module as a whole, engage with greater confidence, and adapt successfully to my classes.
Conclusion
Overall, these approaches have a strong positive impact on students’ learning, engagement and confidence. They are especially valuable for first year students who are joining university from schools or colleges, and for international students coming from abroad. Many of these students experience challenges when adapting to a new learning environment.
By using objects, movement and role play, I help them connect with the content emotionally and intellectually. Students who initially felt anxious about economics or statistics begin to see these subjects as enjoyable, relevant and achievable.
Maintaining eye contact with students during classes and gathering their timely feedback to evaluate the impact of my teaching strategies have helped me refine and tailor my approaches. After using these techniques over an extended period and collecting students’ verbal, spontaneous, and written feedback, I have found that these methods are highly effective, adaptable, and have a positive impact on students’ engagement in class.
In conclusion, this embodied and object-based approach offers a creative and inclusive way to teach economics and statistics. It demonstrates that complex theoretical ideas can be made simple and meaningful when learning is connected to real experiences, emotions, and movement.
References
Brennan, R. and Pearce, G., 2009. Educational drama: A tool for promoting marketing learning? International Journal of Management Education, 8(1), pp.1–9. https://doi.org/10.3794/ijme.81.237 [Accessed 18 October 2025].
Macrine, S.L. and Fugate, J.M.B., 2021. Translating embodied cognition for embodied learning in the classroom. Frontiers in Education, 6, https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2021.712626,
Available at: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/education/articles/10.3389/feduc.2021.712626/full, [Accessed 18 October 2025].
Wardak, D., Mantai, L., Guerry, E., Thogersen, J. (2025). Object-Based Learning Through a Postdigital Lens: Innovating Business Education for Responsible Leadership. In: Peters, M.A., Kamenarac, O., Green, B.J., Jandrić, P., Besley, T. (eds) Postdigital Education for Development. Postdigital Science and Education. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-99247-6_9
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